Good Morning.
And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name Lord (Yahweh) I was not known to them.” (Exodus 6:2-3)
Yesterday I shared how that, by saying to Moses, “I am Yahweh,” God intended to impress upon Moses that Israel would know Him by His actions, particularly as it related to their deliverance. In similar fashion, the statement, “I am Yahweh,” was intended to impress that same understanding — albeit from a different perspective — upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
In Genesis 41:44, a different Egyptian king made the statement, “I am Pharaoh,” to Joseph. The statement was an assertion of power and authority. By saying, “I am Yahweh,” the Creator asserted His authority and power to deliver from the one who had said, “I don’t know Yahweh and I will not let Israel go.”. One on hand, God was declaring that, where Israel was concerned, He would fulfill the promise He had made to the patriarchs. On the other hand, He was telling the idolaters of Egypt that their gods were nothing gods and that they, along with Pharaoh, would come to know that the God of Israel was God.
There are multiple millions today who don’t know the One True God. Among them are those who defy His authority and/or deny His existence. By their actions they are known; “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2-3). There is soon coming a day that these people will come to KNOW the One and Only God. They, like of Pharaoh of old, will know that He is God when He demonstrates His mighty power. Unfortunately, it will not be a good day for them if they continue to harden their heart as did their predecessor.
The thought of their demise should not cause us to rejoice but to pray for their hearts to change. God doesn’t take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked and so neither should we. Rather, let’s pray that, as many as would have a change of heart, come to KNOW the Almighty in the way that you and I know Him today. Let us embrace the words of Messiah who said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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